Charles simek



C. SIMEK.

AUTOMOBILE'HORN, APPucmou msn mm. 22. |916.

Patented Oct. 14, 1919.

blllllmlf UNITED STATES PATENT onirica. i

GHARLES sIMEK, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGNoJa To THE GARFORD MANUFACTURING COLNWANY, vOF ELYB'IA, OHIO, A CORPORATION OE' QI'IlQf` .surmonte-HORN.

' specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct, 14, 1919 Application met March 22,1916. seria No. 55,756.

and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethesame. Y

"My invention relates to automobile horns,

and more particularly to the type of automobile horns known as hand vhorns to distinguish them from electric horns. kHorns of this type are operated mechanically by applying pressure directly'to some portion of the horn, throughthehand or footof the driver. v f

I am aware that horns of this type were made and used prior to my invention, but for the most part they are complicated,ex pensive and troublesome to make.

Among the objects of my invention I aim to simplify devices of the character'which the diaphragm. This is I have mentioned by eliminating many of the parts which .have been used, thereby producing ahorn which is cheap andeasy to make, andwhich, at the same time, will produce a loud signal when operated.

Other objects of my inventionand the invention itself will probably be better understood from a description of ,an-embodi-y ment of the invention. v

Figure 1 is a sectional viewl through an embodiment of my invention, showing the mechanical means employed Vfor operating the horn. This view is taken onthe line I-IofFig.2.x` f

Fig. 2 is ay section taken through vthe line IIII of EFg. 1 showinga front lelevation of the mechanism. -f A f Fig. 3 is anenlarged view of'someof the details.` i f' Referring now to the drawing and to the embodiment of my invention villustrated therein, at 4 is shown a frame which here includes a'V cup-shaped casing, preferably cylindrical in forml and provided with a bottom 5. This casing may, as shown, be punched out of a singlepiece of metal. A flange 6 is provided around the edge of the cup, the front end of the cup being lopen- .ended, as shown at 7.1.This front end is closed by a sound-producing device, Yhere parts in position.

a spiur wheel`26.A y

lshown ais-a vibratile diaphragm 8, whose edge 9` 1s connected between the flange 6 and a flange '10 upon the casing front 11.

The casing front 11 is provided with an opening 12 for the egress of sound Waves.

-A `resonator 13 may be mounted in this opening, as illustrated in the drawing.

Y As will be seen, the vcentral portion of the :diaphragm is free to vibrate when the diaphragm is. agitated. An anvil 141is mountedv in' the diaphragm, preferably at the VVcenter thereof.' This anvil is shown as a screw passing through the diaphragm. The diaphragm is provided with an opening 15 and a screw or anvil bearing 16 1s mounted'in this opening. In the form shown,this bear- :ing consistsfof a member 17 which is pro- 'vided witha flange 18 abutting against the 'inner side :of the diaphragm and a sleeve 19 lwhich fits over the main portion of the member 17 upon the yfront of the diaphragm. A lock nut 20 is provided for locking the Means are provided for Vstriking ythe end 14 of the anvil and causin the Aactuation of ere shown as a toothed wheel 21 provided with a plurality ofteeth 22, preferably being shaped like the teeth of a saw. The wheel 21 is mounted to rotate inthe frame. a shaft 23'which is mounted in bearings 24 inthe-frame in which bearings it rotates.

Here it is fastened to I prefer to mount the wheel rigidly' upon the shaft, so that it rotates with thej shaft. A plurality` of 'teeth 25 are connected to the `wheel 21' and rotate therewith. I-Iere they are mounted upon the shaft in the shape of A manuallyxoperabl'e member, here shown Ias Vaplunger 30 is' mounted to operate in the frame. This plunger yor rack is provided with. a pluralityof teeth 31, preferably cut directly in the rack and upon one of the edgesthereof.-l At 32 isshowna guide for the rack, which mayconstitute `a part of the frame and which is provided with' a pair of ears 34 and 35. These ears are provided with longitudinalxslot bearings 40, which are best lmade perpendicular to the aXis of 'rotation of the shaft 23, in which a Spur aXle 41 is mounted. A spur gear 42 is mounted upon the spur axle 41. The spur gear 42 is provided with a plurality of teeth 43 adapted to coperate with the teeth 25. Theseparts serveas av one-way power transmission clutch between the rack and the teeth 25. hIeans are provided for returning the rack- 3() to normal, here shown as aV coil spring 50, which extends into-a bore 51' in the rack. An anchor block 52 connectedto the frame by a screw 53 lits in the bottom of the rack casing 32. A spring guide pin is shownfat 100.

Means are provided for giving considerable inertia to the wheel 21, here shown as a weight 55v connected" to. the wheel 21. in any suitable manner, such as. by bolts 56. Iz may also provide a spacer 57r concentric with the shaft 23 and spacing the member 55 from. the frame.

I may provide means toquicken the engagementy betweenthe gears -42 and 2G, here shown as a spring 60.` In.the formlshown, a bow= springy has been` employed, which bears. against? two shafts 23 andV 40;A rfhis spring is intended to )insure the engagement of these gears at the propen time, should the horn be operated'upeside-down, or setv in some unusual position. Hand engageable means, shown at`70,is connectedto the'rack, through which the same'is operated;

The operation of= the device isas follows: Pressurev is applied, for example, by the hand to the member 701 and theL rack' i's-v forced downwardly. sliding in` the casing 32y and compressing, the spring: 50;. The teeth 31 uponfthe'r rack force. the gear I42 downwardly until its teeth mesh with the teeth' 25 of: the gear. 26.` Als-.therack descends both gears will be rotatefl,.together with theshaft 23 and the cams wheel 21. As the' teeth 22l of the cam wheel 21 strike the anvil 14, the diaphragm. S- willbe caused-to vibrate and the signal produced.y The wheel 21 once having been started will continuer to rotate after. the pressure upon has ceasedi or been removedythe momentum of the member.` causing the wheel 21, the shaft 23 andthe wheel 2.6 to rotate, forcing the shaft 41 upwardly. into the slot 40, the wheel 42 beiirgcarriedA upwardly therewith. When the pressure has' been released from the member 70, the spring 50 willcausethe rack to returnfto the-'positionshownin Fig.` 1*, the wheel42 being'inthe position shownlin'Fig. 3 and not interfering? with the= continued rotation.i of' thev wheel 2'11 andi the operation of the diaphragm;l

I have shown' this particular embodiment of my invention and the details employed thereintnot' that' In wish to be limited thereto,.but' forthe. purpose oft better describing the inventiom, it being apparent; to those skilled in thef art. thatV numerous and eXs tensive'departuresY may be made from both the-formand details illustrated in the drawing, without departing from: the spiritE of the'.A invention'.

1;. In. an automobile horng. the, combinasaid: frame', mechanical tion of a frame, a vibratile sonorous diaphragm mount-ed in said frame, a shaft in said frame, av cam wheel mounted on said shaft, mechanical means through which the cam wheel operates the diaphragm when rotated, a plurality of gear teeth associated with said cam wheel and adapted to rotate therewith, a rack mounted to reciprocate in said frame,.said rack being provided with a plurality of teeth, a spur wheel having teeth meshing with the teeth on the rack' Ythe frame between the rack and first gear wheel, said second gear wheel transmitting power. from'the rack to theiirst gear wheel when' the rack is moved in one direction.

3.. I'n an automobile horn, the combination of a frame, a vibratile diaphragm in the frame, a toothed wheel rotatably mounted in the frame for causing the actuation of the diaphragm, ay plurality of gear teeth connected'to thetoothed wheel and rotatable therewith, a. plunger Vin the frame and a slidably mounted gear wheel betweensaid gear teeth andsaid'plunger, adapted to cause the actuation of the toothed wheel when th plunger is moved in one direction;

4. In anl automobile horn` the combination of a. frame, a diaphragm` in the frame, a

`toothed wheelf rotatably mounted in the frame for causing the actuation of the diaphragm, a plunger in the frame andv means including a gear wheel caused to slide when the' plunger is operated to` transmitV power from the plunger to the toothed' wheel.

5; In an automobile horn, the combination of? ay frame; a vibratile diaphragm in the frame, a toothed wheel rotatably mounted in mea-ns through which theltoothed wheel operatesy the diaphragm, gear teeth rotatable with: said wheeh. aff member in saith frame provided with slot bearings, a toothed plunger insaid framega spur'aX'le infsaid slot bearings, and a` spurgear on said axle between said plunger and' said toothed wheel! providedI with teeth adapted toy engage the teeth on the plunger andthe gear teeth rotatable with the wheel.

6.I In an automobile horn, thecombination of ai frame, a vibratile diaphragm in the frame,` an1anvil nzthe diaphragm, a' toothed wheel rotatably mounted in the frame and adapted whenrotated to cause the actuation rality of gear teeth connected to the toothedV wheel and adapted to rotate therewith, a member provided with slot bearings in said frame, a spur aXle in said slot bearings, a rack mounted in the frame and adapted to be reciprocated therein and a spur gear mounted upon said spur axle having teeth meshing with the teeth on the rack and adapted when the rack is depressed to mesh with the gear teeth connected to the toothed wheel. Y

7 In an automobile horn, the combination of a frame, a diaphragm in the frame, an

anvil in the diaphragm, a toothed wheel rotatably mounted in the frame adapted to cause the actuation of the diaphragm when the wheel is rotated, a plurality of gear teeth associated with the toothed wheel, a member in the frame provided with slot bearings, a rack mounted to reciprocate in said frame, saidyslots being substantially aarallel to the line of movement of said rac a spur aXle in said slot bearings, and a toothed gear wheel on said aXle having teeth meshing With the teeth on the rack and adapted to mesh with the gear teeth connected to the toothed wheel and cause the rotation of the toothed wheel when the rack is moved in one direction. Y

8. In an automobile horn, the combination of a frame, a vibratile sonorous diaphragm in saidelrame, means to connect the periph-A ery of the Ydiaphragm to said frame leaving the central part of the diaphragm free to vibrate, an anvil in the centralv part of the diaphragm, shaft bearings in said frame, a shaft rotatably mounted in said bearings, a heavy rotatable toothed wheel connected on said shaft and rotatable therewith, the teeth on the Wheel adapted to strike said anvil and cause the diaphragm to vibrate when the wheel is rotated, aspur gear wheel connected to said shaft and rotatable therewith, a rack mounted to reciprocate in said frame, a member in said frame provided with slot bearings, said lslots being substantially parallel to the line of movement of said rack, a spur shaft loosely mounted in said slot bearings, a spur wheel on said spur shaft for transmitting power from said rack to said gear wheel on the shaft when the rack is depressed, and means to restore said rack to normal when released.

9. In an automobile horn, the combination of a frame, a vibratile diaphragm connected at its peripheryto said frame, an anvil in the diaphragm, a toothed wheel rotatably mountedin said frame, a plurality of gear teeth connected tosaid wheel and rotatable therewith,aJ plunger guide in said frame provided with a pair of slot bearings, a plunger adapted to'reciprocate in said guide, a spur wheel having teeth adapted to be engaged by said plurality of gear teeth and said plunger, said spur wheel loosely mountn ed in said slot bearings.

10. In an automobile horn, the combination of a frame, a diaphragm connected at its periphery to said frame, an anvil in the diaphragm, a heavy toothed wheel mounted in the frame and adapted when rotated to cause the actuation of the diaphragm through the anvil, a plurality of gear teeth connected to and rotatable with the toothed wheel, a rack guide in the frame, ears on said guide provided with slot bearings, a rack in said guide and a spur gear Vwheel loosely mounted in said slot bearings, said gear wheel being provided with teeth adapted to engage the teeth on the rack and the gear teeth connected to the toothed wheel.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 18th day of March,

CHARLES SIMEK.

kupies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. Y 

